splunk_escuTTP

Windows Excessive Disabled Services Event

The following analytic identifies an excessive number of system events where services are modified from start to disabled. It leverages Windows Event Logs (EventCode 7040) to detect multiple service state changes on a single host. This activity is significant as it may indicate an adversary attempting to disable security applications or other critical services, potentially leading to defense evasion or destructive actions. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow attackers to disable security defenses, disrupt system operations, and achieve their objectives on the compromised system.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1562.001

Detection Query

`wineventlog_system` EventCode=7040 "disabled"
  | stats count values(EventData_Xml) as MessageList dc(EventData_Xml) as MessageCount min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
    BY Computer EventCode UserID
  | rename Computer as dest
  | where count >=10
  | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
  | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
  | `windows_excessive_disabled_services_event_filter`

Author

Teoderick Contreras, Splunk

Created

2026-04-15

Data Sources

Windows Event Log System 7040

References

https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2018/02/olympic-destroyer.html

Tags

CISA AA23-347ACompromised Windows HostWindows Defense Evasion Tactics

Raw Content

name: Windows Excessive Disabled Services Event
id: c3f85976-94a5-11ec-9a58-acde48001122
version: 13
date: '2026-04-15'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic identifies an excessive number of system events where services are modified from start to disabled. It leverages Windows Event Logs (EventCode 7040) to detect multiple service state changes on a single host. This activity is significant as it may indicate an adversary attempting to disable security applications or other critical services, potentially leading to defense evasion or destructive actions. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow attackers to disable security defenses, disrupt system operations, and achieve their objectives on the compromised system.
data_source:
    - Windows Event Log System 7040
search: |-
    `wineventlog_system` EventCode=7040 "disabled"
      | stats count values(EventData_Xml) as MessageList dc(EventData_Xml) as MessageCount min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
        BY Computer EventCode UserID
      | rename Computer as dest
      | where count >=10
      | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
      | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
      | `windows_excessive_disabled_services_event_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the Service name, Service File Name Service Start type, and Service Type from your endpoints.
known_false_positives: No false positives have been identified at this time.
references:
    - https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2018/02/olympic-destroyer.html
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$") | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
      earliest_offset: 7d
      latest_offset: "0"
rba:
    message: An excessive number (Count - $MessageCount$) of Windows services were disabled on dest - $dest$.
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - CISA AA23-347A
        - Compromised Windows Host
        - Windows Defense Evasion Tactics
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1562.001
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1562.001/windows_excessive_disabled_services_event/windows-xml.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:System
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog